Verisimilitude, in its essence, refers to the appearance of truth or reality in a literary work, particularly in drama. It is the quality that makes a fictional world, its characters, events, and dialogue, seem believable and plausible to the audience, even if the events depicted are not literally real. It’s about how closely the dramatic representation aligns with what we perceive as real, logical, or probable within a given context. It’s not about being historically accurate in every detail, but rather about creating a consistent and convincing internal logic that allows the audience to suspend their disbelief and engage with the narrative. For professors of English Literature and Language, it’s crucial to understand that verisimilitude is a dynamic concept, evolving with dramatic conventions, philosophical shifts, and societal perceptions of reality.
In drama, verisimilitude manifests in various aspects:
- Plausible Character Motivation: Characters act and react in ways that seem consistent with human psychology and their established personalities.
- Realistic Dialogue: Language reflects how people would genuinely speak, considering their social standing, education, and emotional state, avoiding overly theatrical or artificial pronouncements (unless intentionally stylized).
- Coherent Plot Development: Events unfold in a logical sequence, driven by cause and effect, even if the initial premise is fantastical.
- Believable Setting and Atmosphere: The physical and emotional environment of the play resonates with the audience’s understanding of how the world functions.
- Adherence to Known Laws (of Nature, Society): While drama can stretch reality, it generally respects fundamental laws unless there is a clear artistic reason to deviate, which then must be internally consistent.
The evolution of verisimilitude in British drama, and indeed in Western drama generally, is a fascinating journey, reflecting changing artistic aims, philosophical underpinnings, and social contexts.
Shakespearean Era: Blending the Real and the Ideal
In the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, epitomized by Shakespeare, verisimilitude was understood differently than in later eras. While there was a desire for characters and situations to be recognizable, the dramatic conventions allowed for significant departures from strict realism.
- Macbeth: This tragedy, while steeped in the supernatural (witches, Banquo’s ghost) and grand rhetorical flourishes, still maintains a powerful psychological verisimilitude. Macbeth’s descent into tyranny, driven by ambition and guilt, feels profoundly human and believable. His soliloquies, though poetic, capture the tormented inner turmoil of a man grappling with his conscience. The portrayal of political machinations, loyalty, and betrayal, resonates with human experience. However, the immediate appearance of witches, or a floating dagger, are not strictly “realistic” in a modern sense, yet they function within the play’s internal logic, rooted in a worldview that readily accepted supernatural interventions. The verisimilitude here lies more in the emotional and psychological authenticity than in a photographic reproduction of reality.
- Twelfth Night: This comedy, with its mistaken identities, gender fluidity, and improbable coincidences, might seem to defy verisimilitude. Yet, its verisimilitude rests on a different plane: the believable human emotions of love, longing, jealousy, and folly. While Viola’s disguise is a dramatic convention, the consequences of that disguise—Olivia’s infatuation, Orsino’s unrequited love—are depicted with emotional truth. The wit and wordplay, while highly stylized, often mimic the playful and deceptive nature of human communication. The resolution, though convenient, provides a satisfying emotional conclusion to the romantic entanglements. Here, verisimilitude is about the plausibility of human emotional responses within a heightened, theatrical reality.
The Rise of Realism and Naturalism: Towards a More Precise Reality
The 18th and 19th centuries saw a gradual shift towards greater social and psychological realism. However, it was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with movements like Realism and Naturalism, that verisimilitude became a primary objective, seeking to mirror life as closely as possible.
- George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man (1894): Shaw, a key figure in modern drama, satirized romantic ideals and exposed the hypocrisy of war and social conventions. His plays, including Arms and the Man, prioritize a form of intellectual verisimilitude. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and often argumentative, reflecting real conversations and the clash of ideas. Characters, like Raina and Bluntschli, challenge societal expectations and their motivations are rooted in a more pragmatic, less idealized reality. Shaw eschewed melodramatic excess for a more naturalistic portrayal of human interactions and social critique. The play’s strength lies in its believable deconstruction of romantic myths, offering a more cynical, yet arguably more truthful, view of human nature and society.
- John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger (1956): This play marked a watershed moment in British theatre, ushering in the “Angry Young Men” era. Its verisimilitude is rooted in raw, gritty social realism. The dialogue is often colloquial, overlapping, and filled with the frustrations and resentments of post-war Britain. Jimmy Porter’s verbose, often cruel, tirades feel painfully authentic. The play depicts the mundane, stifling reality of working-class life, domestic squabbles, and the erosion of traditional values with unflinching honesty. The emotional landscape is messy and complex, mirroring the complexities of real relationships. Here, verisimilitude is achieved through a deliberate rejection of theatrical artifice in favor of a visceral, almost documentary-style representation of life.
Modernism and Post-Modernism: Challenging and Reinterpreting Verisimilitude
The 20th century saw various movements that both embraced and challenged traditional notions of verisimilitude. Some sought a deeper psychological truth, while others experimented with theatricality to expose different facets of reality.
- T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral (1935): While a verse drama with a strong historical and religious theme, Eliot’s play maintains a powerful psychological and thematic verisimilitude. The internal struggles of Thomas Becket, his resistance to worldly temptations, and his spiritual journey towards martyrdom are presented with profound psychological insight. The chorus, though stylized, represents the anxieties and fears of the common people, grounding the play in a human emotional landscape. The language, though poetic, is precisely chosen to convey the weight of spiritual and political conflict, lending an authentic feel to the intellectual and moral dilemmas presented. It’s not realistic in its external form (verse, chorus) but profoundly so in its internal, spiritual reality.
- Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape (1922): O’Neill, a master of American naturalism and expressionism, explores the dehumanizing effects of industrial society. While not British, it offers a crucial point of comparison for the evolution of verisimilitude. The play uses expressionistic techniques (e.g., distorted sets, stylized movement) to portray the internal psychological state of Yank, the protagonist. The “reality” here is not just external, but deeply subjective and emotional. The dialogue, particularly Yank’s monologues, strives for a raw, authentic articulation of his existential despair. The verisimilitude lies in the portrayal of the character’s internal reality and the social forces that shape it, even if the external presentation is distorted to achieve this deeper truth.
- Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (1947): This American play, with its strong influence on post-war British drama, exemplifies a meticulous commitment to social and moral verisimilitude. The play unfolds within a realistic domestic setting, and the dialogue is utterly believable, reflecting the anxieties and buried secrets of a post-war American family. The gradual revelation of Joe Keller’s moral compromise and its devastating consequences feels entirely plausible due to the careful construction of character and plot. Miller’s strength lies in his ability to expose profound moral dilemmas through seemingly ordinary family dynamics, making the emotional and ethical stakes intensely real for the audience. The language is precise, revealing character and advancing the plot with a sense of inevitability.
- Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story (1958): Another American play, but highly influential, The Zoo Story exemplifies the Theatre of the Absurd’s approach to verisimilitude. While the premise (a man harassing another on a park bench, leading to self-inflicted death) might seem bizarre, the play achieves a disturbing psychological verisimilitude. Peter and Jerry’s conversation, though increasingly fragmented and irrational, captures the profound alienation, loneliness, and desperation of modern existence. The “reality” explored here is not social or external, but an internal, existential void. The seemingly nonsensical dialogue reveals a deeper truth about the breakdown of communication and human connection. The verisimilitude lies in its unflinching portrayal of existential anxiety and the desperate human need for connection, even if the means are absurd.
In conclusion, verisimilitude in drama is not a static concept but a flexible artistic principle. From Shakespeare’s psychological and emotional truth within a theatrical framework, to Shaw’s intellectual realism, Osborne’s raw social portrayal, and later explorations of internal and existential realities by playwrights like Miller and Albee, the quest for “truth” on stage has continually evolved. It is about crafting a world, be it fantastical or mundane, in which the audience can believe, engage, and ultimately find resonance with the human condition. The examples demonstrate that while the means of achieving verisimilitude change, the fundamental goal remains: to create a convincing and impactful dramatic experience.
Multiple Choice Questions:
- Which of the following best defines verisimilitude in drama?
a) The historical accuracy of the events depicted.
b) The use of elaborate costumes and sets to create a lavish spectacle.
c) The appearance of truth or reality in a fictional work, making it believable.
d) The playwright’s personal opinion about the characters.
- In Macbeth, despite the presence of supernatural elements, where does its verisimilitude primarily lie?
a) In the detailed historical accounts of Scottish kings.
b) In the realistic portrayal of 11th-century warfare.
c) In the psychological and emotional authenticity of Macbeth’s descent into tyranny.
d) In the humorous interactions between the witches.
- How does Twelfth Night achieve verisimilitude, even with its improbable plot?
a) Through its strict adherence to historical realism.
b) By presenting believable human emotions like love, longing, and folly.
c) By completely avoiding any elements of disguise or mistaken identity.
d) By featuring characters who are entirely rational and logical.
- George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man contributes to the evolution of verisimilitude by emphasizing:
a) Grand poetic language and supernatural elements.
b) Raw, unedited depictions of working-class life.
c) Intellectual verisimilitude through sharp, realistic dialogue and social critique.
d) Melodramatic plot twists and exaggerated characters.
- Look Back in Anger is notable for its verisimilitude in depicting:
a) Idealized romantic relationships and heroic figures.
b) The psychological depth of supernatural beings.
c) Gritty social realism, colloquial dialogue, and the frustrations of post-war Britain.
d) Ancient historical events with meticulous accuracy.
- While Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama, its verisimilitude stems from:
a) Its documentary-style recording of historical events.
b) The detailed scientific explanations for Becket’s actions.
c) Its profound psychological insight into Becket’s spiritual struggle.
d) The use of modern slang in the dialogue.
- Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape uses expressionistic techniques to achieve verisimilitude in:
a) The photographic reproduction of realistic factory environments.
b) The external, objective reality of working-class life.
c) The subjective, internal psychological state of the protagonist and the social forces shaping it.
d) The exact replication of historical conversations.
- Arthur Miller’s All My Sons exemplifies verisimilitude through its focus on:
a) Fantastical events and mythological characters.
b) Meticulous social and moral realism within a domestic setting.
c) Abstract philosophical debates devoid of human emotion.
d) Highly stylized and artificial stagecraft.
- In Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story, despite the absurd elements, where does its disturbing verisimilitude lie?
a) In its precise historical documentation of a park bench encounter.
b) In its portrayal of logical, rational human communication.
c) In its exploration of profound alienation, loneliness, and the breakdown of communication.
d) In its depiction of an idyllic and harmonious society.
- Overall, the evolution of verisimilitude in British drama, as seen in these examples, suggests that:
a) It has always meant strict adherence to historical facts.
b) It is a static concept that hasn’t changed over time.
c) It is a dynamic concept, adapting to different artistic aims and understandings of “truth.”
d) It is only relevant to plays that depict everyday life.
Answer Key:
- c) The appearance of truth or reality in a fictional work, making it believable.
- c) In the psychological and emotional authenticity of Macbeth’s descent into tyranny.
- b) By presenting believable human emotions like love, longing, and folly.
- c) Intellectual verisimilitude through sharp, realistic dialogue and social critique.
- c) Gritty social realism, colloquial dialogue, and the frustrations of post-war Britain.
- c) Its profound psychological insight into Becket’s spiritual struggle.
- c) The subjective, internal psychological state of the protagonist and the social forces shaping it.
- b) Meticulous social and moral realism within a domestic setting.
- c) In its exploration of profound alienation, loneliness, and the breakdown of communication.
- c) It is a dynamic concept, adapting to different artistic aims and understandings of “truth.”
Literary Latitude 